No better way to take in a parade than from the back of a horse, I say! With Pride parades on the schedule through the summer, there is plenty of opportunity to show your support of the LGBTQ+ community. Of course, inclusion and representation go beyond one month of awareness, so our support for our fellow humans and equestrians is something we can show and act on each and every day.
U.S. Weekend Preview:
Aspen Farms H.T. (Yelm, Wa.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Bucks County Horse Park H.T. (Revere, Pa.): [Website]
Golden Spike H.T. (Ogden, Ut.) : [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Seneca Valley Pony Club H.T. (Poolesville, Md.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]
Queeny Park H.T. (St. Louis, Mo.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
River Glen June H.T. (New Market, Tn.) : [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Valinor Farm H.T. (Plymouth, Ma.): [Website] [Entry Status]
Woodland Stallion Station H.T. (Woodland, Ca.) : [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Major International Events:
Bicton International (Devon, United Kingdom): [Website] [Schedule and Ride Times] [Scores] [Live Stream]
Wednesday Reading List:
“The horse world, at least the English side of it, seems to have a lot more openly gay men involved than in other professional sports. While it isn’t clear that the same can be said for other people in the LGBTQ community (we’re here, but we don’t always have as much visibility), this is part of what makes equestrian sports special. But what is it about the horse show world that seems to draw in more wonderfully openly gay men than other professional sports?” Such is the query made by Plaid Horse writer Jess Clawson, and Christopher Webb is the rider featuring in her article about being a gay man in the horse world. It’s well worth a read here.
West coast rider Tommy Greengard has been turning heads with his riding skills and talented horses. But his journey with Joshuay MBF has been anything but totally smooth. You won’t want to miss the write-up on this pair from The Chronicle of the Horse.
Native American horse heritage is seeing a revival thanks to the efforts of those organizing the Indian Relay Horse Race in Pawhuska, Oklahoma last weekend. A popular Native American pastime, the relay attracted about 40 tribes competing for over $100,000 in prize money. Read more about the event (and see the gorgeous photos!) here.
What are some considerations to make before stepping up to a new level? Whatever discipline you call home, moving up should be a well thought out process. This blog from The West Equestrian provides some useful advice.
Registration is now open for the next US Equestrian DEI Community Conversations session, “An Introduction to LGBTQ+ and Becoming a Better Ally”, which will be held on Zoom on Wednesday, June 30 from 5-6 p.m. EST. You can learn more and register for free here.
Don’t forget to enter our giveaway in partnership with Cambox! We’re giving away a Cambox V4 Pro Helmet Cam to a lucky reader – click here for more on how to enter by June 11!
Wednesday Video Break:
I was intrigued by the Indian Relay Horse Race and dug up this short documentary that was released in 2019:
